Maintenance teams can be the lifeline of a property. They not only set the property’s physical image, but have a hand in customer service as well. So much so that they directly impact resident satisfaction scores. One of the top reasons great renters jump ship, aside from soaring rents and poor customer service, is bad maintenance. And with poor service comes bad reviews. There’s no point ramping up on your advertising if you lack a solid property maintenance strategy.
Here are some things you can do to ensure your property excels at its maintenance process:
Streamline Requests.
Holding a dedicated process for tenants to submit maintenance requests is important. In today’s age of technology, renters yearn for convenience. Therefore, it’s your job as the Property Manager to ensure the work order process is simple. Don’t shy when it comes to technology—incorporate online and mobile amenities, like automatic notifications, historical work logs, status updates and more.
The same applies for your internal maintenance management system. In order to ensure your maintenance team is as efficient as possible, you’ll need to invest in a system that allows your team the ability to manage multiple work orders, enhances the scheduling process, can ideally track progress and distributes automatic notifications.
Be Timely.
Timely maintenance repair is important to ensure resident satisfaction. Larger, urgent issues should be handled no later than the following business day and minor issues should be handled the same week. Urgent issues would include structural repairs, plumbing, access, gas leaks, etc. Less urgent concerns would be cosmetic repairs, small leaks, running toilets, loose cabinets, etc. It’s also important to offer tenants the option of an emergency maintenance number. This will not only provide renters with a piece of mind, but will boost property ratings as well.
Be Courteous.
One of the worst resident experiences is having your maintenance team pop up unexpected and unannounced in their unit. Avoid the embarrassment and frustration in advance by simply communicating estimated arrival times, even if you have to provide a 4-hour window. This will provide your residents with a level of comfort as well as the opportunity to be present for the repair. It’s a win-win.
Follow up.
Customer feedback is important. After each maintenance visit, have your agents give the tenant a call to follow up on the service–or, leave a survey. The tenant will enjoy the personal touch, and if there are any outstanding issues or concerns, they can be addressed to you directly now, versus on a review site later.
Rentbot simplifies maintenance.
The maintenance process can be quite frustrating for tenants, but it doesn’t have to be. We make it easy for you to keep your tenants happy. With Rentbot’s online maintenance request process, your renters will find solace in the ability to place their requests seamlessly with the click of a button. Not to mention, they’ll be able to make their rent payments online too. Improve your maintenance operations with Rentbot and score happy tenants in the process.
About the Author
Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising and copywriting, she has helped a multitude of clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.